By Amos Tauna
Kaduna (Nigeria) – Irked by alarming rate of unemployment in the country, Entrepreneurship Research and Development Centre (ERDC), Kaduna State University in conjunction with the State Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), will stage its first Kaduna Entrepreneurship Volunteerism Service (KADEVS), to provide solution to unemployment in the state.
The organisers believe that volunteerism is an aspect of social entrepreneurship and panacea to the growing unemployment challenge.
It is against this background, the organisers obtained an approval from the State government to run the first Kaduna Entrepreneurship Volunteerism Service scheme aimed at churning out an army of volunteers in the 23 local government areas.
Coordinator of the Service, Professor Seth Akutson, explained that the programme is scheduled for Tuesday, 13th March, 2018 with the theme, “Turning Kaduna State women and youth into entrepreneurs through Volunteerism and craftsmanship”.
He explained that the Kaduna Entrepreneurship Conclave was meant to produce volunteers across the state that would serve their communities for the good of all at no cost, or capital required for being Street-Wise Entrepreneurs.
“KADEV is a unique initiative that affords the Kaduna youth to commence at no cost, no money for start-up, no personnel, no tools, nothing but just the volunteer,” Professor Akutson explained.
The conclave, according to him, is a sort of boot-camp that participants are coming out with identified areas of volunteer service they could render to their local governments.
“This training programme is training 10 selected individuals (youths and women) who are expected to go back to their various local governments and train another 10 selected individuals on a continuous basis.
“ERDC and KASU shall serve as the coordinating centre to undertake monitoring and evaluation; provide necessary assistance in terms of linkages measurement of impact in the state,” he explained.
Outcome of the training programme, according to him, is that it would produce volunteers that would turn their backs on idleness and unemployment, as well as getting engaged in social service volunteering that will be of immense benefit to their communities.
“The concomitant effect of this programme shall be drastic reduction in unemployment, up-skilling of labour force and improvement of their employability. These shall result in a safe and secure society,” he added.
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2017/12/10/news/nigeria-strengthens-start-ups-carries-campaign-round-the-country/
